Creamy Onion Pasta with Roasted Garlic
20 September 2026
super easy
Creamy Onion Pasta with Roasted Garlic
This Creamy Onion Pasta with Roasted Garlic is rich, comforting, and packed with flavor. Slowly roasting white and red onions brings out their natural sweetness, while the whole garlic bulb becomes soft, mellow, and beautifully aromatic.
Cream cheese transforms the roasted ingredients into a smooth sauce that coats every piece of farfalle. Sun-dried tomatoes add a delicious tangy note, fresh parsley brightens everything, and chili flakes bring just the right amount of heat.
It is an easy oven-baked pasta recipe made with simple ingredients and very little hands-on preparation.
So, if all that sounds good to you, read on!
Top 3 recipe tips
1. Slice the Onions Evenly
Cut both onions into slices of approximately the same thickness. This helps them roast evenly and prevents thinner pieces from burning before the rest become soft.
2. Reserve Some Pasta Water
Before draining the farfalle, save about ¼ cup of the cooking water. Its starch helps the cream cheese blend with the roasted vegetables and creates a smoother sauce.
3. Check the Garlic Before Removing It
The roasted garlic is ready when the cloves are very soft and can be squeezed easily from their skins. Depending on the size of the bulb, it may require a few additional minutes in the oven.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
This Creamy Onion Pasta is the perfect choice when you want a cozy homemade dinner without preparing a complicated sauce. The onions and garlic roast together in one dish, developing a sweet, rich flavor while the pasta cooks separately.
The combination of white and red onions gives the sauce more depth, while the sun-dried tomatoes balance the sweetness with their slightly tangy flavor. Cream cheese makes everything silky and satisfying without requiring heavy cream.
It is also easy to customize. You can adjust the chili flakes, use another short pasta shape, or add vegetables depending on what you already have in your kitchen. Best of all, the recipe makes exactly two generous servings.
More Easy Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy this creamy roasted onion pasta, there are plenty of other comforting pasta recipes to try. Easy Creamy Salmon Pasta combines tender salmon with feta, spinach, and roasted tomatoes, while Creamy Shrimp Pasta is a wonderful choice when you want something a little more special.
For another recipe featuring sun-dried tomatoes, try this Marry Me Chicken Pasta. You might also enjoy the rich flavors of Easy One-Pot Bacon Pasta or the colorful and fresh Tomato Basil Shrimp Pasta. Each recipe is comforting, flavorful, and perfect for an easy homemade dinner.
Ingredients in Creamy Onion Pasta
What you will need
Farfalle Pasta (180 g / 6.3 oz): Farfalle holds the creamy sauce beautifully, but another short pasta shape can also be used.
White Onion (1 medium): Roasting gives the white onion a soft texture and a naturally sweet, savory flavor.
Red Onion (1 medium): Red onion adds color, sweetness, and extra depth to the roasted sauce.
Garlic (1 whole bulb): Once roasted, the garlic becomes soft and mellow rather than sharp. Slice off the top of the bulb so the cloves roast properly.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes (40 g / about ? cup): Drain them well if they are packed in oil, then cut any large pieces into smaller strips.
Cream Cheese (100 g / 3.5 oz): Use full-fat cream cheese for the smoothest and richest sauce.
Olive Oil (1½ tablespoons): Olive oil helps the onions caramelize and keeps the garlic moist while roasting.
Fresh Parsley (2 tablespoons): Finely chopped parsley gives the finished pasta freshness and color.
Red Pepper Flakes (¼ teaspoon): This adds gentle heat without overpowering the sweet roasted onions.
Salt (½ teaspoon): Use this for the roasted vegetables, plus additional salt for the pasta water.
Black Pepper (¼ teaspoon): Freshly ground black pepper balances the sweetness of the onions.
Reserved Pasta Water (up to ¼ cup / 60 ml): Add it gradually until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Tips for the Best Creamy Onion Pasta
Use a baking dish large enough to arrange the onions in a relatively even layer. If they are piled too deeply, they will steam instead of developing lightly caramelized edges.
Add the cream cheese while the onions and garlic are still hot. The heat will soften it, making it much easier to mix into a creamy sauce. Start with two tablespoons of reserved pasta water, then add more only if needed.
Cook the farfalle until al dente so it maintains its shape when mixed with the sauce. Avoid adding oil to the pasta water because it can prevent the creamy sauce from coating the pasta properly.
How to make Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Peel the onions and cut them into even slices. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces if necessary.
Place the sliced onions and sun-dried tomatoes in a baking dish. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, drizzle with olive oil, and mix well. Add the cream cheese and place the garlic bulb in the center of the dish after slicing off the top to expose the cloves.
Slice off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves. This allows the garlic to roast evenly and makes the softened cloves easy to squeeze out after baking.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the onions are soft and lightly caramelized and the garlic cloves can be squeezed easily from their skins.
Meanwhile, cook the farfalle in generously salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the dish. Mix everything thoroughly until the cream cheese, garlic, onions, and sun-dried tomatoes form a creamy sauce.
Add the cooked farfalle and toss until evenly coated. If necessary, add a little reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Finish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Ready to Serve
Serve this Creamy Onion Pasta while it is warm and the sauce is smooth and silky. Sprinkle a little extra parsley and a few chili flakes over the top for freshness, color, and additional heat.
The pasta is satisfying on its own, but it can also be served with a simple green salad, roasted vegetables, or a slice of crusty bread.
Sweet roasted onions, mellow garlic, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and cream cheese make every bite comforting and full of flavor. It is a simple dinner for two that feels much more special than the effort required.
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones we come back to the most. This Simple Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles is easy, comforting, and made with everyday ingredients you probably already have at home.
Variations & Substitutions
Use another pasta shape: Penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or bow-tie pasta all work well because they hold the creamy sauce.
Make it milder: Reduce or leave out the chili flakes if you do not want the pasta to be spicy.
Add some greens: Stir in a handful of baby spinach while the ingredients are still hot. Mix until the leaves soften.
Use a different cheese: Mascarpone can replace the cream cheese for an even richer sauce, while soft goat cheese will add a tangier flavor.
Add extra protein: Cooked chicken, crispy bacon, or sautéed shrimp can be added before serving.
Save this Creamy Onion Pasta for the next time you need an easy and comforting dinner for two.
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Creamy Onion Pasta with Roasted Garlic
Ingredients
For the roasted vegetables:
- 1 medium white onion sliced
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 40 g about ? cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the pasta and sauce:
- 180 g 6.3 oz dry farfalle pasta
- 100 g 3.5 oz cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Up to ¼ cup 60 ml reserved pasta water
- Salt for the pasta water
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Peel the white and red onions, then cut them into evenly sized slices.
- Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces if necessary.
- Slice off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Keep the bulb intact so the roasted cloves can be squeezed out easily after baking.
Assemble and Bake
- Place the sliced onions and sun-dried tomatoes in a baking dish.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle with olive oil and mix everything thoroughly.
- Add the cream cheese to the baking dish and place the prepared garlic bulb in the center with the exposed cloves facing upward. Drizzle a little olive oil over the garlic.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, stirring the onions halfway through, until they are soft and lightly caramelized. The garlic should be tender enough to squeeze easily from its skin.
Cook the Pasta
- After placing the baking dish in the oven, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Add the farfalle and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
- Before draining, reserve about ¼ cup (60 ml) of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Prepare the Creamy Sauce
- Remove the baking dish from the oven.
- Carefully squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the bulb directly into the dish.
- Mix the roasted garlic with the baked cream cheese, onions, and sun-dried tomatoes until a creamy sauce forms.
- Add a small amount of reserved pasta water if needed to make the sauce smoother.
Combine and Serve
- Add the cooked farfalle directly to the baking dish.
- Toss thoroughly until the pasta is evenly coated in the creamy onion and roasted garlic sauce.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and add more reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve immediately while warm and creamy.
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